Under one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it releases its first advice on the medications.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidelines affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and continuous care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to broad access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, notes the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the present most optimistic case, the manufacturing of such drugs might only reach approximately 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The guideline urges governments and firms to increase availability, through approaches such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Function
These medications imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals reduce food intake.
Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Studies suggests patients may regain a significant portion after a year of halting the medication, because their typical appetite come back.
Being overweight or obese increases your likelihood for developing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in all nations and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
